President Reuven Rivlin says he is willing to meet Palestinian Authority counterpart Mahmoud Abbas, days after Abbas tells Israeli TV he is against knife attacks and is willing to reengage in peace efforts.
Rivlin, speaking at a joint press conference with Czech Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek, says he was somewhat heartened by Abbas’s interview to Channel 2 news magazine “Uvda.”
He says however that Abbas needs to back up his words by distancing himself from fundamentalists who would prefer to see a temporary agreement that allows for the future destruction of Israel, like Hamas.
“We need to find a way to build trust between us,” he says. “I am ready to meet with [Abbas] with whatever coordination with the Israeli government of course.”
Czech Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek meeting with Reuven Rivlin in Jerusalem on April 4, 2016. Mark Neyman/GPO)
In an interview aired Thursday, Abbas said Netanyahu is “the partner” for peace, and called on the prime minister to meet with him “at any time.”
“I want to see peace in my lifetime,” he said.
“I still extend a hand to Mr. Netanyahu because I believe in peace. I believe that the people of Israel want peace and that the Palestinian people want peace,” he said. “Either we, the politicians, will do it, or we can leave it to the people. They’ll do it within a week.”
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Monday, April 4, 2016
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